Police in Nakuru are holding 18 young men, including minors, suspected to be part of a criminal gang that has been terrorizing residents of Rhonda and its environment.
County Police Commander Samuel Ndanyi also confirmed that the police were in pursuit of a woman said to have been be harbouring the young men.
Ndanyi said that the police, while acting on a tip from members of the public, raided the home of one Salome Nafula in Rhonda and arrested the youths who were armed and preparing to commit various crimes around the Nakuru West Subcounty.
“We planned the night raid that nabbed 16 suspects that were hiding in the house, armed and ready to commit various crimes. Eight of them were under-age children including primary and secondary school-going children.
“The woman is still at large but we are urging her to surrender to the police to help with the investigations,” added Ndanyi.
He noted that two pistols, 33 rolls of bhang and other materials used to roll bhang were recovered during the raid.
“We also confiscated four phones used in their operations. Four kitchen knives, a Somali sword and 300 grams of bhang were also recovered,” added Ndanyi.
He lauded the members of the public for the prompt information that led to the arrest of the youths suspected to be part of the Mauki gang.
“They are young men aged between 14 and 21, yet they are very dangerous and their actions are detrimental to the safety of the public,” regretted the police boss noting that they would be arraigned in court to answer to various criminal charges.
Nakuru West Constituency has been cited as a hub of criminal gangs and activities in the recent past, with security agents working round the clock to clear the groups.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki who visited the County security team last month put on notice the criminal gangs terrorizing the residents, warning that they would be cleared.
By Anne Sabuni
